Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
875. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí, by rank (details supplied), as of 1 November 2023; if a further recruitment campaign will be launched before end of year to increase the number of gardaí attached to CPU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48743/23]
View answerThe unprecedented allocation of over €2.3 billion to An Garda Síochána for 2024 demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring the Gardaí have provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out vital policing work. Following Budget 2024, I announced that this allocation would allow for the recruitment of between 800 to 1,000 new Garda recruits.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I am however assured that the Commissioner keeps the allocation of these resources under continued review, in line with crime and population trends, to ensure their optimum use.
Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána, and all Gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties. Community policing is also fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model which is currently being rolled out in all divisions and is fully commenced in seven.
The new model will provide more front-line Gardaí, increased Garda visibility, and a wider range of policing services for people in their local area. It will divide service delivery within division into four functional areas, one of them being Community Engagement. This will allow for a greater focus on community policing in all divisions.
Garda authorities have advised that a member of An Garda Síochána can be deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that member is allocated to a Community Policing Team (CPT) and is responsible and accountable for applying a problem–solving approach to appropriate crime and policing quality of life issues in a specified geographic area through partnership and engagement.
It is important to note that community safety is not just about the number of Gardaí in communities. Community safety is a whole of Government responsibility and it requires a multi-agency approach. The Government is providing significant additional resources to An Garda Síochána, including to support recruitment to CPT teams nationwide.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that as of 30 September 2023, the latest date for when figures are available, there were 67 Community Gardaí assigned to the DMR North. This represents an increase of over 42% since the end of December 2017.
I am further advised that as of the same date there were 13 Community Gardaí assigned to Coolock Garda station, 12 Gardaí and 1 Sergeant. This represents an increase of almost 86% since the end of December 2017.
Further detailed information in relation to Garda numbers, including Community Policing, is available on my Department’s website. This information is updated every month with the latest data provided by An Garda Síochána, and includes the number of Gardaí by station across the whole country.
The information can be found at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/
